


Xenoglossophobia

by Catler0



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: ? - Freeform, Alternate Universe - Horrortale (Undertale), Alternate Universe - Swapfell (Undertale), Alternate Universe - Underfell (Undertale), Angst, Choose Your Own Adventure, F/M, Fluff, G!Papyrus - Freeform, Jane Doe is not their name, Mystery, Other, Please Don't Kill Me, Plot, Reader is not Frisk or Chara (Undertale), Reader-Insert, Reverse Harem, The Harmony Series, This Is Not Going To Go The Way You Think, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things, Will Add Tags As We Go, but its not too bad, but only for a little while, but theres still tons of character developement, descriptions of a panic attack in chapter 2, g!sans - Freeform, horrorswap actually, mute!reader - Freeform, not a depression fic, part of a series, please be safe when reading, reader is still a sassy bitch with no filter, thoughts about death in chapter 2, tons of plot, world building
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-24
Updated: 2021-02-26
Packaged: 2021-03-16 08:41:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 15,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28953645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Catler0/pseuds/Catler0
Summary: You have been in a facility for as long as you can recall. You have no memory of anything prior and had given up on trying to figure out why you couldn't talk. With no name, no identity, you've accepted your fate as a faceless Jane Doe. When years have gone by and you're met with dead end after dead end, a surprise visit from a skeleton changes your fate.Your time is ticking if you want answers.Perhaps this time, you'll get the harmony you couldn't last time.
Relationships: Papyrus (Undertale)/Reader, Sans (Undertale)/Reader, reader/done with everyones shit
Comments: 28
Kudos: 117





	1. The Cost of Hope

Chapter One: The Cost of Hope

You shuddered in your bed as you downed your bit of medication, the nurse staring intently at you. It had taken adjustment, but after a few years of being in this place, you’d gotten used to the gradual changes in staff and routine. So many therapists, so many pills, so many cold sleepless nights. You didn’t want to give this place bad merits by any means, they really did try, but some of these people were so… _Dumb_. The staff was nice but so very dumb.

“Can I get you anything else for the night, sweetie?” The nurse had asked you in a polite tone, even after everything, so many countless tries at conversation with you only to be met with silence.

  
  
‘ _No, but thanks anyway nurse whose name I still have yet to memorize.’_

You stared at her, gaze dropping as you flung the blanket over you and buried your face into the pillow. You waited till she left to slip out of the comfort of your mattress. You wandered over to your bookshelf and ran your hands along with the peculiarly arranged books you’d organized into a chaotic array of colors. Their spines were worn and the pages damaged but you loved these books. Despite your inability to read, you adored the small collection you’d amassed over your years in this place. _  
_

 _  
_You pulled out one of the books, perusing the pictures inside with a small smirk. They’d considered you a danger to yourself and mentally unstable. You’d tried to convince them otherwise but they weren’t having your shit. Unless you learned to cope with your “trauma” and started speaking, they weren’t going to listen.

  
  
That was the funny thing about it though, wasn’t it? You couldn’t speak, they thought that you do this _thing_ was on purpose. You couldn’t tell them you wouldn’t hurt yourself when you couldn’t talk. Sure, maybe you could figure a way out by now, maybe you _could_ communicate somehow - even just a little - if you tried harder.

  
  
_But you didn’t fucking want to._

  
  
You had no family, no name or identity, and had been labeled as disabled. You’d had enough disappointment and dead-ends. You were content with seeing the world through the pictures in these books. You'd long since come to terms with being on the sidelines, a specter in your own life. A lot of people would loathe such a thing but you found it comforting. You saw so much, took in so much, having to do nothing more than exist.

  
  
_Existing was enough for you._

_  
__  
_You weren’t depressed, you knew you weren’t. You didn’t spend your days in bed having lost the joy of things you once loved. You didn’t feel alone or isolated. You didn’t check any of the boxes that pointed you in that direction. You had just given up trying to chase the impossible. It was time to have realistic expectations. You’d cried all your tears and decided to just… put it away. You weren’t sad, maybe a bit numb, but you were content being the faceless Jane Doe of this place.

  
  
Your approaching daydreams of Paris were quickly shot down as you heard the faintest shy knock on your door. You made your way over and upon opening the door were greeted with the face of another nurse whose name you can’t be bothered to memorize. Beside her, you saw two monsters.

  
  
The first, presumably a female, monster held your attention first. Her smile was warm and inviting as she offered her hand for you to shake. Despite the scaled skin and reptilian eyes, she seemed soft and cuddly to you. You didn’t take her hand and the flash of social anxiety showed on her face as she brought it back, trying to stutter out what you assumed to be her name. _Dr. Alphys._  
  
The second, presumably male, monster was dressed casually. His blue hoodie held its form when you knew there probably wasn’t one considering he appeared to be a literal skeleton. He had his hands buried deep in the pockets of what looked to be a favorite clothing piece of his, complimenting the laid back attire with basketball shorts and a simple white t-shirt. He looked tired, but not the sleepless kind. That smile seemed so warm and natural on his face that it put you at ease. _Sans Serif_ , he mumbled at you.

  
  
“Sorry to disturb you, but it seems we failed to inform you that you’ve got an appointment with these two.” The nurse motioned to each of the monsters respectively, “Dr. Alphys, Sans Serif. They specialize in those that suffer from xenoglossophobia and other fields of language. Monsters-”

  
  
You cut her off, finishing her sentence in your head for yourself as you waved your hand to put an end to her needless explanation.

  
  
‘ _Monsters can read souls, getting a sense for what the person may be trying to convey, but it’s not an accurate science. With this discovery, we thought it might help you. Blah, blah, blah.’_

  
  
You’d heard the spiel a thousand times over. You only barely tuned in enough to listen to Dr. Alphys sputter out a mess about Sans being the most capable monster in the underground when it came to souls, as well as a language pathologist. You wanted to get this over with as fast as possible. Offering a simple nod at the hallway you quietly followed the three of them out of the room and down to the secluded room usually held for therapy. A few of the other residents gave a soft wave to you and you returned them with blank stares and a cold shoulder.

  
  
_‘Good morning to you as well, people who can talk.’_

_  
__  
_When you entered the room, the nurse gave a polite goodbye before exiting, leaving you with both the monsters. You were surprised that humans, with their compulsion towards racism and oppression, didn't hate these creatures. Even their fear of the unknown fell to the wayside, minuscule and insignificant in light of the love, compassion, and hope that Monsters brought to society. You thought about that for a moment as you stood patiently by the door, waiting to be instructed. That was really everything you could do even as Sans pulled out a manilla envelope seemingly out of nowhere.  
  


_‘What the actual fuck.’_

  
He flipped through them idly, looking for one of the documents in particular. You assumed it was probably the files from the previous sessions with other monsters but you didn’t want to jump ahead. You expected he’d bring up-

  
  
“you dragged me out here cause no one sees their soul, right?” He paused, the lazy and casual tone inflections to show his curiosity as he glanced at Dr. Alphys.

  
  
_‘Called it.’_

  
His eyelights darted to look you in your own eyes. They didn’t seem to garner much attention from you till they flicked down to the crest of your chest where you watched his skull morph into a look of shock probably at the fact that he couldn’t see your supposed soul. 

_‘Big surprise there!’_

You didn’t know why he would expect anything else if he’d bothered to look at your files beforehand. He started flipping through more documents, whispering something to Dr. Alphys in hushed tones. Her expression seemed a mix of fascination and absolute confusion. The way her eyes twinkled but her brows furrowed… It was something.

  
She cleared her throat, turning to you and motioning you to sit down as she began a stuttering mess of a ramble about soul-hearing and what that meant for Monsters as opposed to humans. You just gave an absent nod, eventually resting your head in your hand and turning your attention somewhere else. You’d begun to tune them out, escaping to the dream world of Paris… You longed to see the Eiffel Tower one day.

  
  
You let your mind whisk you away as they spoke. Vivid images of strolling down the famous bridge decorated with the locks of hopeful lovers as you sang a tune in your mind. You’d take a million pictures and sip tea at sunset, spreading your blanket out on the grass and watching as the stars came into view above you. You’d quietly whisper to yourself what star was what. You wondered what French sounded like-

  
  
“holy fuck!” Sans shouted, jumping to his feet and sending the chair under him clattering to the ground in his wake.

  
His voice cut through like a knife, your head turning to him as you held your breath from the tension that hung in the air. He looked like he’d seen a ghost. Sure, not being able to see your soul was new news to him but did it really require such a response?

  
  
_‘Smokes, calm down, boneboy.’_

_  
__  
_He was scribbling things down madly now, eyelights shooting between you and the clipboard that had somehow materialized out of nowhere. Alphys was trying to calm him, assuring him that everything was okay and following his circles around the room. He tossed the clipboard behind him, which never made a sound and you guess disappeared into thin air as well. He turned to you, grin wide with glee and panic. That didn’t settle well. It’s not a very reassuring expression.

  
  
You sucked in a breath, stinging your lungs in the process when he sharply turned to Alphys and dragged her out into the hall- leaving you alone in the room. You took the time to scramble to your feet and dashed to the now-closed door. You laid your ear against it, determined to know what all the fuss was about.  
  


“this is it, this might be what we needed, alph.”

  
  
“I- I’m not s-sure, Sans… This seems like a bad idea.”

  
  
“It’ll be fine alph, don’t sweat it. no skin off my bones if you don’t want in on this.”

  
  
_‘What the actual fuck?’_

_  
__  
_“N-no, I’ll help. Go explain, I’ll fill o-out the paperwork.”

  
  
_You repeat: ‘What the actual fuck?’_

_  
__  
_Leaping back into the chair, you rested your head into the palm of your hand once more and looked away. You gave your best attempt to look ‘natural’ when he re-entered, refusing to look at him as you inspected a plain vase. You could see him crouch in front of where you were sitting, those eyelights of his sharp with excitement and sympathy. You wearily glanced back at him, allowing his gaze to hold you for a long moment.

  
  
“jane doe, huh? got some questions for you, kid, but we can get to the whys and hows another day. I promise i’ll tell you everything, but for now, tell me this,” he prodded gently. You raised a brow at him as if to urge him to continue. “do you like it here?”

  
  
No one had ever asked that. Did you like it here? You thought back, allowing yourself a moment to think about it. A long sigh escaped you, eyes slipping closed as you thought about every year you'd spent bouncing about from new doctor to new hopes only to fall flat every time. It was a loop, a cycle, you’d given up on a long time ago. The people here were as kind as they could be, but that didn’t change how stale your room was. This place wasn’t home, wasn’t for _you._

When you opened your eyes to give Sans a nod or a shake of the head, he was looking at you as though you were something to be held. The way his hands twitched at the edges of his jacket, the soft way his smile slipped, and his brows furrow, or perhaps it was the tone he used when he asked what your name was… It was different.

  
  
Slowly, you motioned ‘no’ in defeat. Your life here wasn’t painful or full of sadness, but it wasn’t a happy one either. It was neither; nothing to fight for but nothing to fight against either. That seemed to be the only thing he needed as his hand came up to the top of your head, moving to the left and right in the gentleness of affection you can ever remember having. He was petting you, you realized as he withdrew his hand.

  
  
“i’ll get you out of here, then,” he mumbled, quietly moving for the door. His expression had turned stony as he went out, muttering nothings to himself in a way you couldn’t wrap your brain around.

Everything had spiraled fast. One moment your life was normal, a routine checkup that should have left you feeling disappointed had instead filled you with morbid curiosity. It was the sort of thing that replayed over and over like a playbook as if you’d overlooked something. It was vastly different from the gradual changes you’d become accustomed to. Was this normal to them? Things tilted on their axis so rapidly that you were left sitting in a chair with your mouth agape in confusion. 

After a long moment of heavy silence, you gathered yourself and headed on your own way out. Hands delicately put in front of you with head lowered, your footsteps near inaudible as you slipped into your room like you had after every session time and time again. This time, you did what you hadn’t done in a long time.

  
  
You cried. You sobbed and wailed with your face buried into your pillow till there was nothing left in you. Why did you cry? Who knew, maybe it was the shock of it. Perhaps it was because something suddenly shifted from the expected when you’d finally grown comfortable in the tiny safe space you’d made. Perhaps it was fear for that tiny bloom of hope in your chest or for whatever Sans saw in you. Perhaps it was exhaustion.

  
  
All the same, you laid in your bed for the rest of the day. You would have let your mind wander to beautiful far off places, to scenes of the mind that only books could offer, to the imaginative cities of Paris in the depths of your creative forest outside these walls that were the only thing you had ever known, but there was nothing. Only a sinking emptiness and calm left in the outskirts of the encounter you had. You didn’t dare move for fear you’d shatter the spell and sob again, unwilling to even turn on your side to drift sleep. 

Eventually, you did fall off into a dreamless slumber. There was nothing behind your closed lids that night, no visions to dance across your mind’s eye or projections of a reality to never come. You were far too exhausted for such a mercy, but you were thankful that when you awakened there had been no nightmares.

The knock on your door is honestly what stirred you to wakefulness. It was much harsher than any of the nurses, the noise demanding your attention. With no choice but to answer you tugged yourself out of bed to swing the door open. The sight you took in was the expected skeleton you’d seen yesterday, clad in the same blue hoodie and offering that gentle smile. Next to him…

Was also Sans, though, not quite. He was taller, head held higher, arms neatly folded behind his back and shoulders square. If his posture was any straighter you would have flinched at how unnatural he seemed. The deep blacks of his clothes, dusted with soft brown under his capelet and eyelights that were a beautiful soft chocolate stood out against the rich red of his turtleneck under his uniform-like outfit. The scar over his brow was hard to not look at, the only thing stopping you was the way he pinned you down with a mere glance.

“Good Morning, Jane Doe,” said the new skeleton. His voice was ice against your half-asleep stupor. You’d never found someone intimidating before, but he most certainly was. You couldn’t quite figure out why you were so frozen, unable to even turn to offer them inside. All you could do was stand, watching, as he continued. “You’re Looking Much Better Than Sans Had Described To Me. Are Your Spirits Well?”

_‘Looking… Is that a compliment or an insult?!’_

  
  
You shook the thought from your head, chest puffed up in mild defense as you moved to gesture them inside. Your fear was replaced by the need to save your ego, one of the few things you had. As they strolled in the newcomer shot daggers at you due to your sudden prickliness though he didn’t say a word about it. Sans lazed in, quickly finding the only chair in the room to claim as his seat and flopping in it like it was his salvation from standing. The skeleton with him today strolled directly to the books, his gloved hand skimming along the weary spines of your collection. 

  
_‘Don't touch my books, you prick.’_

  
  


You watched Sans take a moment to properly look around the room as well. Your curtains fluttered with an absent breeze, their sheer lavender color casting a hue across the tile floors of your room. The metal frame of your twin size bed reflected off in the haze of sunlight, though it was well hidden under the fluffy floral of your comforter and stack of plush pillows. The wooden table he sat at had only one seat, an old antique chair that seemed to be part of a set if the carvings engraved into them were anything to go by. The shelf nestled next to the window was stuffed with as many books as it could handle, the dresser shoved flush into the corner holding even more atop it. You nervously turned your attention back to the new skeleton.

  
  
His hand settled on a book finally, index finger curling around the top to free it from the confines on the shelf. You went to go sit on your bed, watching him closely as his eyelets skimmed the random page he’d turned to. You expected him to make some comment on it, ask you a question, but he merely shook his head with a scowl.

  
  
“This Is Abhorrent. No Wonder You Lack The Skills To Read When They Give You Trash To Practice With,” he grumbled. The skeleton promptly shut the book and returned it to the shelf, shaking his head in disapproval at your choices.

You looked to Sans in question, a silent plea for help writing itself across your expression. 

_‘Who the fuck is this guy?’_

Maybe he read your mind, or maybe he didn’t like how the other skeleton was speaking, but all the same, Sans cleared his non-existent throat to clear the air.

  
  
“this is shepherd, my brother,” he stated plainly. “he wanted to meet you.”  
  


“Oh, Please, Classic. Lying Is Unbecoming Of You. I Did Not Choose To Come Here.” He turned to you, head tilting up and head lolling to the side as if to size you up. “But It Was Required Of Me. No Doubt This Door Mat Will Be Terrified Of The Others. So Far, You Are… Unsatisfactory.”

  
  
You felt the twitch of your eye, signaling you to force yourself to relax. You didn’t want to give him an ounce more of your irritation or attention than you already had. You pushed a neutral expression onto your face, unclenched your hands, and gave him a deadpan stare, its own sort of challenge. He met your defiance easily, and the two of you stayed locked like that for minutes.

  
  
_‘Asshole.’_

Shepherd approached sharply, the heels of his shoes clicking as he closed the gap between the two of you in swift strides. His hand snaked out from behind him to cup your head between his gloved fingers, turning it this way and that. The hum that escaped him was not one of anger, but curiosity. You allowed it, your body lolling carelessly to his whims.

  
  
“Not Even A Flinch? Perhaps You Will Fair Well In Our Home.”

  
  
What good would it have done to flinch? If he was going to hurt you, he would have done so now. You didn’t think they were that stupid. Suspicious, of course, but not stupid. Perhaps you couldn’t scream for help, but you would fight tooth and nail if they tried to harm you. Your thoughts of how intimidating Shepherd had been all but melted away, replaced by stubbornness.

  
  
_‘Try me, bitch.’_

“As My Brother Has Said, I Am Shepherd. You May Address Me As Such, Or Captain Should You Choose To Do So.” He smirked, pulling back to adjust his gloves. “What Is Your Daily Routine At This Facility?”

  
  
_‘Wake up, check-up and meds, then free recreation in the park outside, group therapy though I mostly zone out, free time in the hall, then lights out. It’s in my file, jerk.’_

Either Shepherd didn’t care that you couldn’t talk, or didn’t know. Either way, he’d get the message soon enough. He’d be met with silence every time he spoke to you as every person had for as far back as you could remember. You emphasized this by turning your head away to rest it in the palm of your open hand to watch the door like it was the most interesting thing in the room. Even with your intentions clear, Shepherd continued.

  
  
“Regardless, We Will Be Taking Up The Rest Of Your Day. It Is My Job To Determine Whether Or Not You Will Be A Threat To My Family, As Well As Assist In Communication Skills Required For Basic Interactions With Monsters and Humans Alike. Whether Your Time In My Household Is Pleasant Or Distasteful Will Be Entirely Dependant On How Well You Cooperate In The Allotted Time Classic Has Placed For Us. Do You Understand?” 

_‘N… no? The hell does that fucking mean?!’_

You nod absently, rerunning through his words searching for the implications and meanings. Sans had said he’d get you out of this facility, but that was impossible. With no identity and disabled from lack of literacy and communication skills, you were considered a dependant. The only way you’d leave was with new caretakers - no offense to Sans or Shepherd but they didn’t peg you as the types that could take care of people in the short or long term. The idea didn’t entirely set well with you, Shepherd seemed like some kind of militarian type.

“It Is My Concern as Captain of The Royal Guard-”

  
  
_‘Well, that explains some things.’_

“When A Human’s Soul Doesn’t Show. One With No Name, No Age, No Records To Show You Exist.” His tone was to the point, but you had a feeling this wouldn’t be the last of it you heard from him.

“easy there, bro, you’re gonna scare her talkin’ like that.” That made you feel a lot better than you were probably showing. “shepherd doesn’t mean anything by it. he’s just doin’ his job.”

“I Mean Exactly As I Give, Classic. You Should Be Well Aware Of My Disposition.”

  
  
_‘Your disposition to be a major dick?’_

“no need to get your gloves in a twist, sheph. kick your legs back and relax, they ain't some hardened criminal.” Sans playfully tipped his chair back, hands buried into the confines of his pockets.

Shepherd groaned, dragging a hand over his skull in irritation. With nothing to do but oblige he walked back over to the shelf and continued to rifle through your small stack of books near the end. He picked one up, tugging it free and inspecting the pages as he spoke. 

“Lack Of A Record Doesn't Guarantee Innocence. You Brought Me Here Because Even You Are Aware Of Such A Possibility.” Shepherd paused his rant only to give Sans an unamused growl of warning. “Must You Sit In Such A Manner? Chairs Are Not Meant To Be Tipped Back. We’re In The Company Of A Host, Show Some Form Of Dignity. I Am Trying To Inform The Human.”

  
  
_‘Says the fucking ass of the room.’_

Sans rolled his eyelights, slowly lowering the chair. Shepherd huffed, quietly righting his jacket to approach you once more. He never looked at you anywhere but in the eyes. It was a sign of respect, but coming from him it nearly sent a chill down your spine. Shepherd's presence demanded attention, no matter how little you tried to give.

“I See You Don't Even Bother To Write. I Cannot Help But Wonder If You Are Intentionally Complicating Your Situation, Or If You Are Just Daft.” He raised a brow at you in expectation as the words rolled easily off his tongue.

You offered a helpless shrug as an answer. You weren’t sure what he expected, though you had no interest in reading. You collected the books for their pictures, not for the stories. For a moment, you thought back to the time you had tried to learn how to read and write, the ruthless pressure you had cracked under in a panic from the demands to ‘get better’. If you could communicate, they’d want answers.

  
  
You didn’t have answers.

“You Have An Affliction. Though Your Soul Is Hidden, As You No Doubt Have Discovered In Your Time Here If Your Records Prove Anything, A Judge Is Capable Of Seeing Your Stats. Both Sans And I Have Observed Yours. In Such Time, We Discovered What Is Causing Your Ailment.”

  
  
That grabs your attention like nothing ever could. Your head snapped up, quietly holding your breath and counting down the seconds until he gave the answers you’d given up on. So close, the answer, their help, was so close you could almost taste it on your tongue. You felt your heart rate speed to a pounding pace, so loud in your ears, you were scared you’d miss what he said next from the noise of it all.

“Each Sentient Creature Has A Native Language In Both Written Form and Verbal Form. Humans Cannot Perceive These Nuances, But Judges And Executioners Such As Sans and Myself Are Adept At Seeing Them. Your Stats Are Written In WingDings. This Is Alarming, Considering Yours Should Be Written In Your Native Language, Not A Monster Language That Has Been Dead For Nearly Four Hundred Years.”

_‘...What.’_

That had to be a joke. There was no feasible way that was even a possibility, you had no clue about all this jargon, but without eyes to see it for yourself you would have to take him at his word. Even so, that begged more questions than the biggest one it had answered. Maybe Sans sensed your distress or maybe you looked as bad as you felt about the news, chipping into the conversation like lightning.

“we're not sure what's going on either, but you shouldn't have a monster language. since your soul is the core of who you are, i think maybe the language is affecting your ability to communicate and remember things properly. me n’ my bros specialize in WingDings, and we think we can help you if you’ll let us.” He jerked a finger to point at Shepherd, his smile pulled a bit tighter - _tenser_ \- as he continued, “sheph here is captain, so only he can give approval on cases like these. he’s required by law to make sure you check the marks for a monster home. ‘s why he’s grillin’ you so hard.”

_‘WHAT-’_

“Sans Expects You To Come To Our Home In A Week’s Time. Before This Can Happen, However, I Am Expected To Not Only Judge You For Your Worth But Also Your Capability To Be Of Value. A System Is To Be In Place For Basic Communication,” he turned his head up, looking down his nasal ridge at you, “Then I Will Determine If You Are Worthy Of Our Investment Of The Time And Money That Would Be Needed To Acquire You. Without Our Help, This Sickness Will Kill You, Jane Doe.”

You sat there, completely sure that your mouth must have been hanging open like a fool. You might have known that these answers would have come with a price, and that tiny bloom of hope was whisked away as reality set in. Once again your life was subject to the whims of fate. You couldn’t wrap your head around it. Couldn't do a thing but swallow the growing lump in your throat, hoping to quell the coil of anxiety that slithered into your core. No matter how much you thought, you couldn’t seem to wrap your head around it.

The sudden knock at your door made you jump and break from the spell of thoughts in your head. You quickly went over to open it, giving a small nod to the nurse as she entered and tried to hide the way your shoulders shook with anxiety. She gave you an odd look, though with how light-headed you were you guessed that you looked white as a ghost. 

  
“I hate to interrupt, but visiting hours are over boys. Jane Doe’s got a session tomorrow, so if you’d like to visit again you can come back on Monday.” She offered a reassuring smile to you as she gestured Sans and Shepherd out of the room. “I’ll escort you to the sign-out station.”  
  


You barely registered the concerned glance of Sans or the defeated way Shepherd kept his gaze to the ground as they left. You don’t remember when you laid down in bed and stared at the wall as it had offended you, nor do you remember skipping breakfast. One thought circled in your haze as time marched on:

  
  
You were going to die.


	2. Hide and Seek

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shepherd and Sans return on Monday as promised, but your thoughts have taken a turn for the worse. Out of fear, you find yourself unable to accept their help, even as an important realization dawns on you. Shepherd shares a softer side of himself to you, Sans tries to lift your spirits, the inevitable angst ensues regardless. Things are bleak, but they will get better!
> 
> Hold out just a little longer, our weary Jane Doe. 
> 
> Content Warning For this Chapter: Thoughts about death, a small panic attack (and brief descriptions of what it feels like)
> 
> Please read safely!

Chapter Two: Hide and Seek

Monday came too fast for you. Your mind had been empty in that time, unable to whisk yourself off to another world and unable to daydream for any count of time. No matter how long you stared at the book in your hand, you couldn’t bring the pictures to life. It was impossible to imagine yourself in those beautiful places, all you managed to see was your body lying in a coffin. You were scared but there was no crying or shaking or nightmares to accompany it, only the same thought to loop in your head.

You had found it impossible to pay attention in therapy, but instead of daydreaming you sat and stared at the speaker. Your appetite had likewise taken a nose-dive, unable to force the food down the same way you had all those times before. It didn't matter if you tossed and turned, comfort was a lost cause. Sleep only came after exhaustion. Familiar faces suddenly turned to strangers, every voice unregistrable in your memory. Was this you slipping into the ‘sickness’, or was it depression?

You’d heard the spiel about the dangers of depression and its vice grip more times than you were capable of counting, yet you were unable to really care if that was the case for you or not. You were dead either way, so was there even a point in trying to reach out now?

In the past, you’d practically vibrated with excitement at visitor days. All the small flecks of hope you had that your family you could no longer remember would pop up and take you home, that there would be a breakthrough in the case, that you would finally know your own name. Slowly those hopes got replaced by the cold and bitter reality that there was no chance for you. You’d expected you’d die this way, in a facility with people who knew as much about you as you did yourself. 

Even as you took your time to practically crawl out of bed and change clothes, the fact that your fate was sealed just wouldn’t leave you be. There was no rest from it and knowing you had to face the boys only aggravated that simple truth more. Their presence forced you to think about it, to have to think about all the things you’d spent so much time running from. Ironically on time, you make out their voices beyond the walls of your room. Unable to stop your curiosity, you silently drift closer to lean your ear against the door and listen.

“I Am Concerned That This Will End Poorly, Classic. This Is Possibly A Ruse Of Some Sort, They Might Very Well Be Dangerous And I Am Beginning To Wonder If You Think The Pros Outweigh That Possibility.”

Ah, yes, of course. You _absolutely_ were a closet sociopath ready to shank him when he least expected it! The records of you not knowing what a microwave was were _definite_ proof that you were a threat. The thought is enough to make you almost snort at how ridiculous it was, even if you didn’t blame Shepherd for trying to be careful.   
  
“relax bro, it’ll be fine. can’t just leave ‘em here to die either, you know no one’s gonna be able to help ‘em but us.”

“An Advantage Of Ours, But We Should Still Tread Carefully. One Misstep Could Spell Disaster For Everyone Involved. You Cannot Afford To Be Careless Today. Keep Your Eyes Open For Anything That Can Help Us Get The Answers We Need.”

That drops your mood back down entirely. You didn’t have any answers or anything to offer them.

“all i’m saying is be gentle, sheph. i’m not disagreeing, just think that we should take this slow. if you scare ‘em again they’ll never open up.”

“My Job Is Not To Be Their Friend, It Is To Determine If They Are Worth The Time And Money Required In Taking Them Home. You’ve Given Me A Week To Make Such A Choice And I Am Under Oath To Do My Job To The Best Of My Ability, Regardless Of Familial Interest.”

“i’m familiar with your job, bro, but you gotta go slow. you scared them last time and who knows if they’ll even work with us now. we’ll be lucky if they even open the door.”

_‘Tempting.’_

“Are You Implying That I Should Have Withheld The Information That They Were Dying? That Wouldn’t Have Done Any Good! They Need To Know Exactly How Dire Their Situation Is. Without Being Able To See Their Soul It’s Impossible To Know How Far The Void Has Infected Them.”

“definitely not saying that. just think maybe there was a better way about handling it. you were seriously harsh with them.”

  
  
“What? I Was Perfectly Cordial And Even Complimented Them, Just As You Instructed Me Too!”

  
  
“...uh. sheph?” 

“What Is It, Sans?” 

  
“just,” Sans sighs, “knock on the door already, the nurses are staring.”

_‘Fuck.’_

You heard his growl before you actually heard him knock. 

You openly stared at the door for the longest time, a minute ticking by painfully slow. You considered ignoring them, walking back to your bed, and crawling under the sheets in search of comfort from having to face them but they’d just walk in at that point. Resigning yourself to having to face them, you open the door and gesture them in.

You ended up standing stiffly, feeling a weird crawling sensation work its way along the base of your spine as Shepherd squinted at you. You don’t think he knew you had eavesdropped but if he did, he didn’t say anything about it. You did your best to look normal, but you were nervous with anticipation. You were sure it showed, confrontation wasn't your strong suit.

You absolutely hated having no way to put your foot down, only able to take their words for all their worth with a grain of salt. It was hard to zone out during a scolding, even when your anger boiled to a tipping point. You’d thrown your tantrums before, but the loss of privileges that resulted in such outbursts was enough to keep you in line. 

With how short-tempered Shepherd was, you didn't think your eavesdropping would sit well. As curious as you were, you were sure you didn't want to be the subject of his outbursts. He was prickly enough even when trying to be nice. You shudder at the thought of him _mad._ It was difficult to imagine Sans would have as much of a temper, but everyone had their breaking point in your opinion.

When Sans turns to you, you almost flinch from having been so deep in thought. You quickly noticed Shepherd rifling through your books in refusal to look at you or the nervous way Sans’ smile tugged at the corners. Confused, your head tilts to the side, your question hanging in the air.

_‘What’s going on now?’_

The room felt heavy, stifling, as you waited for one of them to say something. You hoped Sans would speak, but there was a rigidness to his stance that didn't match his previously amicable behavior that you’d come to expect from him. He refused to meet your eyes, the little circlets in his sockets roaming the room and looking everywhere but you. The silence was deafening and you needed one of them to say something, _anything_ to get this over with. You chanced a glance towards Shepherd, only to be met with a similarly concerning sight. He was scowling, sure, but the way his brow worried at his face was off-putting. Something was wrong.

You raised a brow at Sans when he nervously tugged at his shirt color.   
  
_‘Sans?’_

“your max health went down. It was fifteen yesterday, now it’s seven,” he said, leg bouncing in his seat. “s’the soul sickness. its settings aren’t compatible so the whole system’s shutting down.”

_‘You’ve got to be kidding… I didn’t think it’d be this quick.’_

Shepherd’s grip on one of the books nearly snapped the spine in half as he tried to reel himself in. He turned, bright brown eyelights roaming over your searching for anything he would be able to get from the sight of you. The gaze would have made anybody squirm, but you were used to people looking at you in such a fashion.

“There Is Some Good News In This Even If The Information Is Currently Rather Bleak. This Means We Are Correct. Now That We’ve Identified The Problem We Can Properly Treat You. However, Doing So Without Communication Is Near Impossible. You Will Need To Speak To Us In Some Form Or Fashion. Eventually, There Will Be Questions That Cannot Be Remedied With Simple Headshakes.”

  
  
That made you completely freeze up. You knew it was coming and you dreaded these conversations. This had never been a choice, you didn’t choose to not speak. You literally weren’t able to! The anger must have been clear on your face when Sans chips in, hand held up as if to stop your line of thought.

  
  
“we know it’s hard after such a long streak. we don’t know why you’re not talkin’ but you gotta start somewhere kid or it’s gonna kill you.'' He paused, his eyelights going a tad hazy as he rushed to add on. “we know you can, your file says your body’s in a good enough condition to do so. whatever happened that made you stop, we're not gonna push, but some simple sign language to get started should help you ease into things. don’t want to rush you but we don’t have much time to beat around the bush.”

You turned your nose up at that, feeling your face scrunch up like you’d tasted a lemon. Of all the things they were asking for it had to be the one thing, you could never give them. You understood their logic, but you knew yourself better. Your body may have been fine, but the words never came out quite right. The sounds were broken and the words on the pages you tried to read were jumbled. No matter how hard you had tried, no matter how hard you had studied, it was gone the next day as if you’d never even showed up for your lesson. They would have better luck trying to teach a dog to speak English. 

You were powerless to stop them from trying apparently even if all the evidence from your file laid out that this wouldn’t work.

  
  
Shepherd approached you swiftly, holding up a hand to gesture for you to go sit in the chair. You question it and glance over to see Sans removing himself to offer it to you. His smile was hopeful, a wonderful contrast from Shepherd’s stern posture. You sighed and took the seat, scratching your cheek as Shepherd started giving instructions.

  
  
“Sans Will Help Me Demonstrate In What Way This Exercise Will Work. This Sign,” he paused, making a swift motion with both his hands, “Mean’s ‘Stop’ And This One Means ‘Unsure.’ Sans, If You Would.”

  
  
Sans took his hands out of his pockets, attention set to Shepherd as he began asking him a series of questions.

“Is The Sky Blue?” Despite how silly of a question that was, Shepherd asked it in a serious tone. 

  
You snort at that, leaning back in the chair a bit as Sans gives a nod. 

“Did You Eat Breakfast This Morning?” 

Sans shakes his head no, looking far too proud at having skimped out on his meal. Shepherd glowers at the response but continues in the same professional manner he had with the first two. Neither spared a glance at you to see if you got the point of this, which you certainly didn’t.

“Is The Quantum Theory of Anti Matter Relevant To Modern Day Medicine?”   
  
Sans’ hands quietly signed a motion. ‘Unsure’ he said. Shepherd nods back, taking that as a prompt to ask another.

“How Do You Prefer Your Coffee?” 

Sans raised his hands once more, slowly and clearly signing out the first word Shepherd had shown you. ‘Stop.’  
  
“Would You Like Creamer In Your Coffee?”

Sans shakes his head once more. You were beginning to see the method of communication they had set up for you. Stop meant to rephrase the question, unsure was for things you had no answer to. It wasn’t the first time someone had set up a system for you, but it always ended up the same.

_‘Let’s get this over with.’_

“So,” Shepherd turns to you expectantly. “Let’s Begin The Exercise. Are You An Adult?”  
  
You give no response, staring at him as you always had. He stared back. Sans’ stared. You all stared at each other blankly, waiting. You were faced with a choice. Respond and move forward, or stay complacent and be comfortable.

_‘Why?’_

You chose to be complacent.

Shepherd’s socket twitched and the longer time slugged by the more irritable he became. Eventually, the silence broke, his voice bouncing against the walls and striking you like a knife.

  
  
“ARE YOU AN ADULT?” he repeated furiously.

  
  
_‘Why?’_ you repeat back in your head.

Another long stretch of silence hung in the air, the tension being pulled tighter and tighter. 

“Why Won’t You Try? Do You _Want_ To Die?!” His confusion and infuriation only emphasized those words. His anger was misplaced onto something he couldn’t fathom and neither could you.

_‘You don’t understand, do you?’_

You were able to sense their utter confusion at your disinterest. You’re not sure what they expected, you were no good at this sort of thing. Your file detailed your shortcomings and failures in the past and it should have been enough for them to understand that this wouldn’t work. Yet, they were able to try and try again despite how hopeless it was. They were simply stronger than you.

If you failed it meant death, if you tried you probably would still die. This was another dead end waiting to happen. Question was, did you want to get hurt in your last days chasing a pipe dream? It’s not as if Shepherd and Sans were making it any easier on you. You cross your arms defiantly, clenching your teeth and sinking further into the chair the same way a child in time out would.

They share a look between each other. Shepherd agitation at your apathy had been made clear and Sans was at a loss with nothing more to do than placate him then offer a shrug. He seemed at a loss for words as much as you were. It did, however, appear to ground Shepherd as he sighed and tried to reign himself in enough to start once more. You prepare yourself this time to pay attention and to give it an honest shot if not for the sole reason to show them how helpless this all was.

You twirl your hand at him, brows raised, urging him to ask again. For a moment, you wondered if he was just done with your shit and would leave but much to your surprise he repeated the question for you.  
  
“Are You An Adult?” he grumbles.   
  


_‘Duh.’_

  
You nod at him, to which he seemed skeptical. You assumed it was about your sudden cooperation but he does not comment on the subject as he asks his next question.   
  
“Are You Over The Age Of Twenty-Five?” 

You shrug. He squints, leaning forward ever so slightly as if you were lying. You forced yourself to keep your posture lax, face holding its neutral expression. After a minute, he shakes his head.  
  
“You Need To Use The Sign, Human,” he said as he adjusted his gloves tiredly.

_‘Why? Is my shrug not clear enough for you, Mr. Cactus?’_

When you didn’t raise your hand to correct yourself Shepherd’s socket twitched again. If you weren’t thoroughly done with his shit, you would have found the habit somewhat endearing. You almost found it funny how worked up he was getting over this and when it looked like he was about to bite your head off again, you raised your hand to quietly sign. You did it wrong, you think, but it was good enough for the skeletons.   
  


“Do You Eat Three Meals Per Day?”

You nod again.

“Do The People Of This Facility Offer Adequate Care, Therapy, and Activities For You?”

  
  
You nod once more. 

“Do You Bathe Regularly?”

  
  
Another nod.

  
  
The questions about your wellness in the facility continued for almost an hour. The longer it went, the sloppier the two signs Sans and Shepherd had taught you became. You quickly felt the migraine slipping in with each new mundane inquiry and their frustrated sighs were starting to get to you. Shepherd had swapped out for Sans at some point when it became clear that you were having trouble, and much like in your files would have told them the skeletons realized the vast problem that stood in their way.

  
  
You were incapable of learning other languages for whatever reason, you had no memory of before being brought to the facility, and the harder they pushed you the more you found yourself unable to keep going. You wondered if they’d give up just as the others had or if they’d still take you into their home. You’d drowned out their questions and talking by now, far too swept up in your own thoughts to be able to properly focus.

This was the most you’d interacted in years. You know it shouldn’t have been but it was exhausting. The interaction was the same as being pulled into the sea with no clear ending. Would it always be this way with them? Your heart thundered in your chest as your thoughts spiraled out of control, the nagging question circling in your head over and over again. The momentary distraction Shepherd and Sans’ questions had offered all but slipped away, replaced by that familiar hollowness they left you with last time.

Dying happened to everyone but so soon was a slap in the face every time it resurfaced in your brain. Where would they even bury you? What would they even put on your tombstone? Would anyone visit you or bring you flowers? Suddenly everything felt suffocating, no matter how hard you tried you couldn’t get enough air in your lungs. The heavy feeling settling in your chest was a vice grip, unwilling to allow you to call for help.

You stood up, shaking slightly as your vision tunneled at the door. You walked to it as slow and as calmly as you could manage before leaving. You beelined for the bathroom, being sure that you use both locks. You sank to the floor, cradling your head between your legs and wheezing in deep breaths to try to steady yourself. The panic that floods you is all-consuming, the room spiraling enough to nearly make you might pass out.

You weren’t sure why you were panicking now, you’d been given the news days ago and this was something you’d always considered to be a possibility. You’d already mourned the loss of your life years ago, but still, you were so scared. You were scared of trying and so scared of dying. Scared of getting your hopes up and still ending up a blank tombstone, terrified of letting everyone down again, petrified, and unable to make a choice. It was too much. 

  
_‘Will it hurt when I die?’_

Then you realize the issue as your thoughts begin to clear. You didn’t want to die. Sans and Shepherd had given you hope, had given you _answers_. With resolution so close you find yourself yearning for more time. Your soul begged for another chance at life, a life where you had a chance to truly be free. Was it selfish to want it now when you’d cast help aside for so long now that it was within reach? 

You stayed curled up in the bathroom well after you came to your senses. For a moment, you thought you heard Sans talking. You thought it had to have been your imagination until you also heard Shepherd’s icy tone right after. You raised your head, chancing a glance at the clock. Your blood runs cold when you realize how much time has passed. You weren’t supposed to be out of your room for this long, and while dying was a fear you had, you did not want to get scolded by the nurses - or worse, Shepherd - for having disappeared.

You crack open the door as silently as you can manage and dart down the hall away from the voices. The noise of a nurse swiftly approaching tells you to hide and you end up ducking into the tiny supply closet where you back yourself up against the wall. You were going to be in tons of trouble for disappearing like this, and the closer Sans and Shepherd got, the more worried you became. You could just slip back to your room after visiting hours were over, right? No one would notice.

  
“i’m tellin’ you, they just bolted out and we haven’t seen ‘em since,” came Sans’ voice through the door.

  
  
“I’m sure she’s somewhere in the building, Mr. Serif. Let’s just keep looking.” The nurse assured him, and you heard Sans’ disbelieving grunt in response.

_‘I’m so fucking screwed.’_

“Calm Yourself, Classic. Jane Doe Is No Doubt Lurking Somewhere. Being Frantic And Angry Will Do Us No Good In Our Search.”

  
  
“how am i supposed to calm down when the human just wandered out? they might’ve run off to bumfuck nowhere for all we know and there goes our only chance!”

  
  
“With What Money Or ID? Perhaps You’re So Busy Being Upset You’ve Lost All Rational Thought.”

  
  
“they can still get hurt. humans ain't exactly smart, sheph. this is ridiculous-”

  
  
You watched their shadows ghost over the light of the closet door, showing just how close they were to you. Your eyes go wide and you clap a hand over your mouth to stop yourself from making any noise. You’d never heard Sans sound so upset and something about it nagged a red flag high in your mind. 

“CALM YOURSELF, SANS,” Shepherd snaps. 

His voice boomed through the door, sending you flinching back. You accidentally bump into the broom, sending it clattering to the floor. You try to catch it but aren’t fast enough and can’t see well in the dark, so you miss and end up freezing like an idiot.

_‘Shit!’_

You nearly screamed, eyes wide and holding your breath in anticipation for them to throw the door open and start chewing you out. A second ticks by, then a minute, then another. You slowly shuffle back, staring at their shadows under the door with confusion. You hear a long sigh and then a warning growl.

  
  
“Nothing More Than A Mouse, Sans. I Forget That You Cannot Sense Undercurrents As I Can. I Believe Your Target Is In The West Wing.”

“are you serious right now? why didn’t you tell me earlier?!”  
  


“Are You Not The One That Wanted To Find Them? Go Then, I Am Returning Home From This Redundant Game Of Hide And Seek. I Have Better Things To Do Than Babysit You.”

  
  
“Gentlemen, please keep your voices down. Jane Doe hasn’t left the building according to the cameras and we’re reviewing them now to find her. Mr. Serif, if you’d be so kind as to accompany me to the security room, we can review them together,” the nurse's voice came again.

  
  
There was another long pause before Sans huffed and you relaxed fractionally. His shadow darted off down the hall along with what you assumed to be the nurses. You expected to see Shepherds leave as well, but surprisingly it stayed. You were confused, brows knitting together and hands scratching at your cheek as you wondered what he was doing. 

Eventually, you felt safe enough to sit down, simply watching the light under the door for your chance to leave and dart back to your room or for the nurse and Sans to return to fetch you. You nearly jump a foot in the air when you hear Shepherd’s voice address you, breaking the comfortable spell you’d fallen under.  
  
“Come out when you’re ready,” He mutters to you.

He knew you were in there, and that begged the question of how long he had known. You’d never heard him talk so incredibly soft. To be frank, you hadn’t thought the stern, cold Captain was capable of speaking in such a manner, but you found that small bit of reassurance put you at ease. You scooted a bit closer, hesitantly setting your hand on the door. 

_‘Aren’t you angry…?’_   
  


“When my brother was a small child, he would often have panic attacks. We grew up during the time of war, and often the thought of death sent him spiraling to go hide. Your breathing was elevated and you’d become unresponsive to my questioning. I suspected that we had caused you too much distress.” 

You sigh, laying your head on your knees as you let that information sink in. You want to ask about his brother, but you feel a pang of guilt for causing such a fuss. You’re glad he’s not upset, even if Sans was. You’d have to face this eventually, you knew that, but it all seemed to be so much. How did Shepherd’s brother handle it, you wondered.

  
  
“They’re approaching, mouse. Prepare yourself.”

  
  
You swallow dryly, pulling back to stand and dusting yourself off. You grip the hem of your shirt, twisting it this way and that as you waited for the voices to start again. You heard them shuffle over and sure enough, their shadows appeared under the door to signal their arrival. Even still, Shepherd did not move.

  
  
“move it, bro.”

  
  
“I Think Not.”

  
  
“human’s in the closet n’ they gotta go back to their room now. they ain't supposed to be in there.”

  
  
“I Am Aware, However, I Will Not Be Moving. Go Pester Some Other Unfortunate Soul, Leave The Human Be For A While.”

  
  
_‘Wha- why are you helping me?’_

You shake your head, unwilling to let Shepherd get into any trouble because of you. You’d calmed down by this point and there was no sense in hiding in the closet any longer. You had to return and finally face things. You’re pretty sure you were ready now that you’d taken the time to sort your thoughts for a change.

  
  
Taking a deep breath, you gripped the handle and opened the door slowly, hoping not to bump Shepherd as you did so. When you stepped out, you kept your head hung and prayed they couldn’t see how tired you felt. You felt their sights burning on you and you nervously twisted the hem of your shirt again.

“gave us a scare, kid. glad you're ok.”

You look up, taking in Sans’ concerned and relieved expression. Sans’ hand was outstretched as if to check for himself to be sure you were really fine. You’re not sure why he’s worried but you offer a tense smile and shrug to placate him. The nurse’s eyes go wide as saucers at the sight and Sans only grins back.

“now that’s the sight i love to see. me n’ shepherd gotta go back to the house but we’ll see you tomorrow. see ya, pal.”

  
  
You offer a small wave, being sure to smile at Shepherd too as he glanced back at you on his way out. The nurse kept it brief, a tense hand being set at the top of your back as she guided you back to your room. She seemed in a daze, a sort of haze you rarely saw on the nurses unless something crazy happened.

She was nice enough to bring you something to eat in your room since you’d missed dinner. She was required to stay and make sure you ate since the facility rarely let patients skip meals but if you were honest you didn’t mind. It was odd having someone watch and make sure you ate, but you were becoming accustomed to people being in your room for longer than normal.

“Are you full, sweetie?” she deposited the tray into the trash, searching around in her pockets for her notepad and pen. 

You nod, padding over to your bed and stretching your arms tiredly with a yawn. 

“That’s been the first time I’ve ever seen you smile,” she mutters happily, placing your pills in your open palm and offering you your water bottle off the table. “It’s a nice look on you.”

You blinked at her as you took it, head tilting to the side. She just chuckles, smiling to herself and tucking you in just as a worried parent would.

“I’ve been your nurse since you came here. I’m so happy you’re finally getting the story you deserve is all. Sure, seeing them in books is nice but this one is all for you. You’re a lucky one.”

You feel your face heat a bit at the thought of Sans and Shepherd being your knights in shining armor, but in their own way, they sorta were. This SOUL sickness was the dragon keeping you locked away, but those skeletons seemed determined to save you from it. The thought was stored away in your head to be replayed later that night in your dreams.

When they came they brought emptiness with them, but now that they’re leaving you to feel a sort of lacking you couldn’t quite place. Something urged you to call out to them, and for the first time in your memory, you longed to be able to tell them one simple thing.

_‘Thank you.’_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Huge shoutout to Banana, Minagi (and Iku in the post) for helping me with this chapter! The first one was hella rough, but I'm feeling really happy with this one. It's never too soon for a bit of soft Shepherd, right? ;)
> 
> I worry that this fic will be hella dreary and sad all the time, but a lot of change is happening for our dear reader. Things will get better very soon, now that they've decided to actually hold onto that small bit of hope Sans gave them. 
> 
> Addressing the pronouns used in this chapter: The nurses misgender Jane Doe as she/her, while the boys automatically default to they/them. The reader will eventually come out completely as nonbinary to those, but as it stands she has no way to tell anybody just yet. The nurses don't know any better yet but are not doing so out of malicious intent. They really do like the reader and are very happy to see them slowly getting better.


	3. A Good Sign

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes a long walk with some good company is just what you need to clear your head, ominous warnings be damned.

Chapter Three: A Good Sign

You felt like you were in a much better mood than before. Yesterday seemed like nothing more than a bad dream and for a change, you slept fairly well. You recounted a strange dream you couldn’t quite put your finger on. An endless black landscape under your feet, devoid of sound or feeling with a static-ridden voice ringing a headache in your mind. You woke up feeling weird, but otherwise, it wasn’t particularly frightening.

With the day beginning, you sat up to go about your routine as you always did, scooping up a pile of books to look through and unceremoniously dumping them onto your bed. You’d picked out all the pink ones today, shuffling through whichever got your attention first. You lightly hummed a tune, though you couldn’t remember where you’d heard it from while you began turning through the pages.

You had no idea where your day would go, but your mind drifted off to lands where the world was a bit better. Knights saving princesses in need, twins torn apart at birth, a heart longing for its happy ending. You didn’t know if those were the actual stories, but it was nice to pretend and make them up for yourself. The only thing that stopped your daydreams was the knock at the door. You didn't hesitate to slide off your bed and skip over, throwing it open.

Sans’ lazy grin stirred a feeling in your chest and you clutched the door handle just a bit tighter to stop yourself from becoming overly eager to motion him in. You almost missed the stiff awkwardness of his expression and the way Shepherd pointedly avoided looking at you. You’d think it was kind of endearing if it didn’t signal that something was wrong. The last time the brothers got nervous like this, they told you your stats had dropped.

Hesitantly, you glanced down at your chest, as if you’d see the numbers floating about and displaying your imminent demise. You saw nothing, only tearing your eyes away in order to glance at Sans in confusion and then to let your gaze drift to Shepherd. Before the silence could stretch on, the shorter of the two spoke up.

“heya, kiddo. you doin’ ok? you seemed pretty shaken up yesterday,” he probed.   
  
You tilted your head to the side but gave a small nod of response. Getting something out of you when he talked must have put his nerves at ease since he visibly relaxed. Even Shepherd seemed to loosen up some, glancing toward you with the ghost of a smile. 

“We Were Worried About You,” Shepherd chimed in. “It’s Good To See You In Higher Spirits This Morning. We’ve Brought A Friend This Time That You May Like.”   
  


_ ‘Oh.’ _   
  
You suppose you should have expected to be met with new faces over time.   
  
“he’s gonna be your doc once we take you in, and with how your condition was last time we thought it might be good for him to get a good read on ya,” Sans chuckled anxiously. His eyelights were shifting between you and whoever was down the hallway- presumably the friend. “he’s another one of our brothers. he’s super nice though, so don’t worry.”   
  
_ ‘I’m definitely worried,’ _ you thought dryly.   
  
“Echo, If You Would,” Shepherd prompted, waving the brother closer.

Anything left from that happy feeling in your chest immediately faded at the sight before you, replaced by self-conscious anxiety. Your eyes fell from the familiar faces of Sans and Shepherd as they scooched away from the door to reveal a person, or rather a skeleton, you’d not seen before. For a moment, you simply froze, holding your breath as you took in their form.   
  
It was hard not to stare at the perfectly smooth cut gap of his left eye running downward to disappear at the edge of his jaw. He was tall, hands resting in the pockets of his white coat and two grassy green eyelights watching you with careful fondness. The turtleneck was of the same color, neatly tucked into his white pants out of the way, a tag clipped to the loose lapel of his jacket.    
  
_ W.D. Echo _

An odd name for an odd skeleton.. You swallowed down the nervous lump in your throat, moved aside, and gestured them in. As per usual, Shepherd headed straight for your books, the ones on the bed this time and Sans snatched up the only seat available. That left you standing in the middle of the room to regard the new face with uncertainty.

He offered a soft smile, unhindered by the crack in his skull. He held out his hand to you as if extending it as a sign of peace. You numbly took it, noting how cold his bones were, though you shoved down the chill that ran down your spine from the feeling. He hummed a pleased sound and gave a small nod of acknowledgement to you. When you took your hand back, you also took a wary step backwards, closer to Shepherd.   
  
“Your Books Are In A Chaotic Display Again I See,” he mused, too caught up in neatly stacking them and returning them to the shelf where they belonged to take a look at you. “You Must Take Better Care Of Your Things, Such Disorganization Is Sure To Cause Frustration Later When You Cannot Find What You Are Searching For.”   
  
You blinked, brows drawing together in brief confusion as you glanced over to Sans who merely shrugged, then to Echo once again. He only continued to patiently smile, his hands neatly folded behind him as his attention slowly wandered towards Sans in a prompt for his brother to explain. 

“ah, right. so, basically echo here is a psychiatrist, but he’s done a lot of studies in human stuff. figured he should take a peek at you sooner, rather than later. he’s a lot better at this stuff, so he might be able to get a more accurate read on the situation than the rest of us,” he explained gently.

_ ‘Well… He seems nice enough.’ _   
  
You caught Shepherd watching the three of you out of the corner of his eye, a certain sort of unease locked in those brown eyelights of his. You wondered what would cause the loud and proud captain to have such an expression. Before you could think about it too long, Sans pulled your attention over to him again.

“as things are,” he’s quick to add, “it’s too dangerous to take you home with us for now. sheph’s given his approval on the matter, but we think extending your stay here for another week or two and letting echo check you out to get a better read on your condition might be the safest bet.”   
  
_ ‘But… you promised?’ _

Your expression must have fallen because Sans immediately started again, waving his hand nervously as his smile grew tighter around the edges.   
  
“but i’ll keep my word, kiddo. you won’t be stuck in here forever.”   
  
For a moment, you almost laughed. Sans was so different from the others, Shepherd so different from him, and Echo entirely unlike the other two. You found it funny how diverse a set of brothers could really be. Sans was exceedingly casual and laid back, you doubted he had a temperamental bone in his body. Shepherd was like a strict mom, but all too full of heart to ever truly be the stone-cold captain he projected for others. Echo had been nothing but polite and soft so far, something about him reminded you of a long-lost big brother. He was gentle and respectful.

You felt the tiniest prick in the back of your mind, an itch you couldn’t quite scratch. The memory was so close, the scent of something on a cold winter’s night. You were surrounded by faceless figures, the feel of the plastic of the controller in your hand seemed so fresh in your mind now as you recalled that faint and fleeting moment. The couch you’d reclined comfortably into was a soft leather, a somber grey-   
  
“Human?”    
  
You shook out of your thoughts, blinking several times over. You closed your mouth when you realized it had been hanging open. It took you a moment to realize that Echo was calling out to you, hand outstretched just an inch away from touching your shoulder when you’d returned down to Earth. Hesitantly, you nodded at him as if to tell him you were fine. He retracted his hand to place it into his pocket, and let his expression melt away from worry to relief. He gestured to the table next to Sans.   
  
“Would you care for a cup of coffee perhaps? I thought maybe we could start off on a good foot since we’ll be getting acquainted today,” he laughed.    
  
You felt your nose scrunch up and head rock side to side. Your distaste was clear but amusing to Echo all the same since it elicited another laugh out of him. That made you relax, almost giving a soft laugh yourself. You’d never had coffee before so you weren’t sure if you entirely hated it or not, but you weren’t interested in trying it anytime soon.   
  
“I Told You They Would Not Want Such Filth In Their System! We Delayed Our Arrival For Nothing It Seems.”   
  
Shepherd rolled his eyelights, abandoning his task of organizing your books to go over and haphazardly dump the contents of the cup into his mouth. He discarded the now empty to-go-cup into the trash and strolled over to Sans to shoo him out of the seat. Once Shepherd managed just that, which he did by literally picking up the smaller skeleton and dropping him into the floor like a sack of potatoes, Echo began to usher you to go sit.

“easy shepherd, you’re gonna break my pelvis tossing me around like that. Christ, you could have just asked,” he chuckled. Despite the teasing, Sans didn’t seem too angry about it.   
  
“If Something As Simple As A Fall Were To Break You Then I Think You’d Be A Pile Of Dust By Now, Brother,” he countered with a raised brow.   
  
“Gentlemen, please,” Echo said with an all too sweet smile before turning to you to continue where he’d left off. “Perhaps you are more of a tea person? I can see you curled up next to a window, book in hand, some summer afternoon with a cup of chamomile at your side,” he sighed with a fond smile.   
  
You were mildly surprised Shepherd and Sans didn't say anything to that, just frowning to themselves as they waited for your response. You simply shrugged. You didn’t know if you liked tea either, but the mental image he gave you did seem rather appealing. Maybe someday far off you’d get to test that. 

  
“Well, there will be plenty of time for exploring in the future,” he began politely. “For now I’m going to survey your soul. You may feel a small sense of invasion, but do not panic. I will be as brief as I can manage. Please do your best to relax. Boys, if you would be so kind as to give the human some privacy for this, that would be preferable.”   
  
_ ‘That sounds kinda scary, string bean.’ _

Despite your snarky comments internally, you swallowed dryly, hands fisting into the fabric of your gown as Shepherd and Sans started toward the door. Your brows furrowed as they left, mouth parting open as if you would say something to stop them. The door closed with a soft click and Echo crouched down to your level to look you in the eye.   
  
“Deep breaths,” he encouraged. “It won’t hurt even a bit.”

Then you felt it, that slithering sensation like something was piercing through you. Like a slimy cold snake, it slinked around inside your chest, searching for something it couldn’t find. As fast as it came, it was gone.   
  
“Hmm,” Echo hummed thoughtfully. He tapped his cheek in thought, sights glued to the center of your chest. “I think I’ve got all I require.”   
  
He made to stand, returning to the door to let the brothers back in. Sans offered a small wave and a wink, Shepherd on his heels as he took in the sight of you. He appeared to be checking you over from afar, but eventually, he raised a brow at Echo.   
  
“That Was Rather Short For A Soul Check. Am I To Take It Was Unsuccessful?”

“I cannot locate their soul, though I can confirm it is with them. It seems hidden away for some reason. It was as you both said. I am afraid there is nothing we can do to be able to see it without physically removing the soul from them. Thank you for letting me check for myself.”

  
“Yes, As We Are Aware,” Shepherd groaned.   
  


“I had to be sure,” Echo assured. “I am not sure of the cause, but I was able to get a more in depth look at their stats. They are not simply in WingDings.”

“so what’s the diagnosis, doc?”    
  
“Complete corruption it seems. This is not something as simple as a misalignment, but a malfunction no doubt caused by trauma. Everything else has been a result of such countermeasures of whatever happened to them. Though,” he paused, setting a hand over yours and crouching down to regard you with soft compassion. “I have good news. Compared to your last health drop, this one is not nearly as severe. As long as you do not let this drag you down, we’ll have much better time to assist you in discerning how to best help you.”

_ ‘So stay happy despite clearly dying. Easier said than done.’ _

“For now,” he fished a pen out of the front pocket of his jacket along with a small notepad. He flipped the cover over and clicked the tip out and began scribbling down some notes as he continued speaking. “I’m going to list some symptoms. If you could nod or shake your head to let me know if you’ve experienced any of them severely in the last week that would be lovely. Could you do that for me?”   
  
_ ‘Oh… An actual checkup. It’s been a while.’ _

You nodded, briefly noting Shepherd watching attentively as the conversation turned a touch more serious. You didn’t mind entirely, though you supposed he would be rather curious. Even Sans had perked up to listen. He was the one that wanted to help you after all.   
  
“Headaches?”   
  
You shook your head no. You hadn't had headaches in almost a year so that was a definite no for you.   
  
“Cold sweats or heat flashes?”   
  
You shook your head no again. Generally, you were fairly comfortable in the facility, you only really got too hot or too cold if the weather was extreme or the power went out.    
  
“Anxiety?”    
  
That made you pause for a long moment. After a few deep breaths, you squeezed your eyes closed and nodded. It was hard to admit it, but after yesterday's episode you couldn’t deny that perhaps something was afoot. Echo simply nodded attentively and marked more notes on his pad before continuing.

“Depression?”   
  
You nodded. The depression you experienced was fleeting and never lasted long, coming in fleeting bursts that left you heaving for relief. As fast as it over took you, it quickly dissipated into a numb complacency that you could easily ignore. It wasn’t severe, thankfully.

  
“Ache in the chest or blurred vision?”   
  
No again. Echo went through a long list of symptoms and conditions, though all of them ended up being a no from you. They ranged from things to do with your speech, your body, to your soul, and especially your mental state. He was very thorough, making sure to cover all the bases. All in all, you had no definitive symptoms, and in the end, he didn’t entirely count your depressive episode from the last visit with Sans and Shepherd. His main concern seemed to be your anxiety with assurances that they’d help you keep an eye on it.   
  
“I’m inclined to believe it’s not a result of your condition, but rather the situation,” he explained. “Though we should be sure to keep an eye on it all the same. If you feel such things creeping up on you again, do not hesitate to reach out to any of us, your nurses, or your therapist for help in any way you can. This is no doubt very scary for you, but we will be here to help you every step of the way.”

You appreciated his care, though you found him pointing out the obvious a bit overbearing. You already knew that, even if it was probably part of his job to tell you so. With a few last strokes of his pen, he flipped the paper to a new page and scribbled down some more. His writing was slower this time, deliberate.

“Should you feel that you are in dire need of help, go to the front desk and give them this note. It will be sure that you are assisted immediately. I have faith in this facility, but I need to be sure you are properly cared for in our absence.” Echo tore the paper from the pad and handed it to you.   
  
Taking it, you folded it neatly, and rose to go stash it in your nightstand’s drawer. You hoped you never needed it, but you found some semblance of comfort in the fact that Echo was so thorough. When you turned back, he had tucked the pen and pad away into the breast pocket of his jacket, making his nametag shift strangely as he did so. You flitted over, quietly reaching out to tug the tag a bit closer to yourself along with him so you could inspect it. There were some strange symbols under it next to his name along with a picture of himself in the same outfit he was wearing now.

You missed the way Sans and Shepherd did a double take, your eyes locked onto the plastic thing in your heads as you inspected it. Echo took your hands in his to untangle them and place them at your side, his eyelights a bit fuzzy as he tried to keep a level demeanor despite the soft green tint to his cheeks. You gave a sheepish smile, returning his personal space to him.

“Curious little thing, aren’t you?” Echo softly cut in. “I believe I need to retrieve their previous medical files for the moment in order to truly see the situation fully.”   
  
“Then Let Us Make Quick Work Of It. We Have Much To Address For The Evening,” Shepherd stepped forward, eyes relaxed and arms sharply crossed.   
  
Echo turned quietly, letting his hand fall to rest at the top of your back.   
  
“No, I think Jane Doe should do so instead. They know the facility better than you, or even I. There’s no doubt their consent will be required. Best to get the formalities out of the way for now. Unless you have issues with this, of course.” 

You didn’t entirely understand why they seemed so nervous all of a sudden. Perhaps they didn’t trust Echo, but that wouldn’t make the most amount of sense considering they brought him. You considered they might be a bit jealous, or maybe this was some odd skeleton thing you didn’t understand yet.

  
“i guess,” Sans seemed nervous again, but shrugged easily. “as long as they’re fine with it, i don’t see an issue.”   
  
The three of them turned to you expectantly, waiting for an answer. You hesitated to give a yes or a no, but you supposed if the brothers introduced you to Echo he couldn’t be too bad. Out of the three of them, he was the most well mannered thus far and you were inclined to give him a chance. You nodded your head, quietly going to the door and gesturing for him to follow.   
  
It was then that you realized you didn’t really know them as well as you thought you did. The reminder that you were all strangers was a cold slap in the face but you brushed it off, not ready to truly think about that right now. The fact remained, you were unsure why they’d fuss about Echo when they were the ones that brought him here, but you were glad to see people caring about you so much. It was heartwarming in its own right.

Echo closed the door behind him, and without another word, you began your march down the hall towards the file’s office. There was a nice silence, which was unexpected but surprisingly pleasant. You even waved shyly to the few nurses that passed you, feeling abundantly more comfortable interacting with them for a change and you loved the way their days seem slightly bettered by it. Just as you’re about to round the corner, Echo set his hand onto your upper back and directed you around a turn away from the decided destination.

You stare up at him in confusion, then glanced over your shoulder as if to ask him what the actual fuck he was doing. To punctuate your point, you pointed behind you, and tugged on his sleeve. This earned you a gentle chuckle as he shook his head and continued leading you down the hall.   
  
“Fret not little one, I simply thought perhaps we should have some fresh air before we get on with the heavy matters at hand. As much as I do enjoy my job, you’re an exceptional patient, and I would be honored to have a bit of your time if you would.”   
  
You pouted at him, crossing your arms as you stopped dead in your tracks. This didn’t give you a good feeling, and there was a small red flag about this that you didn’t like. You huffed in silent defiance.   
  
_ ‘No way, string bean.’ _

This elicited an exasperated laugh again, with him trying to hide the irritation in his tone and keep you at ease. Despite his attempts, you could still tell he was a bit frustrated with you. Quietly, he gestured down the hall, as if for you to connect the dots on your own. With some reluctance, you glanced where he’s indicated, and recognized the path outside to the recreational section of the facility.   
  
“A walk is all I wanted, my dear. While misleading the others with omitted information is dubious, a simple lie is not always harmful, but rather beneficial. We will still go to the office to put in a request for the medical documents as I stated previously of course,” Echo had gingerly begun inching closer to you now, his hand returning to the spot on your back as if to encourage you further. “I will not make you if you truly detest the idea.”   
  
You didn’t entirely agree, but you nodded all the same. When was the last time you had been outside, let alone with another person to keep you company? It wouldn’t be so bad to take a moment and hear him out. If anything, you wanted to see what he was up to. Echo had given you no reason not to trust him, but he simply seemed too good to be true. You took a hesitant step forward and made your way outside.

_ ‘This better be worth lying about… Doesn’t feel right.’ _

You and Echo walked around the path in peaceful silence. The fresh air was doing you a world of good even if it felt like it was under the wrong circumstances. You had forgotten how pretty some of the grounds were. You didn’t know if it was standard, but you had been told the fact that the facility had a private park for the patients meant it was one of the better ones. The small lake was decorated with a tiny fountain in the middle, the shallow water allowing you to occasionally glimpse in and see the colorful koi swimming around in circles.

The path was adorned with several benches in the grass, inches away from the pavement you walked down. The shrubbery had been trimmed into playful shapes, while across the pond sat a small nook of a playground. The swings were a few feet across from the tiny garden that had slowly gotten bigger and bigger as days went by. Without much thought, you inched your way towards it.

Echo, having followed you, motioned for you to sit next to the flowers with him, and you were too enraptured by the pretty glow of the golden petals to deny him. You plucked the strays out of the ground with delicate care, enjoying the feeling of their soft stems on your skin. You twined them together, one by one, slowly making your way to a stable circular shape. Echo didn't say a word, but you could feel his eyelights watching you with rapt attention.

After a moment, he picked a flower himself, a stray well out of the bounds of the garden, that he twirled between his phalanges. After a moment, he picked two more, and you smirked at the way he tried to mimic your braiding with the stems. You moved slower, shifting your hands further into view so he can see what you’re doing.    
  
“You’re quite good at that,” he commented, twisting the stem just a bit too hard and snapping it. You took it from him, weaving the stem into position and handing him another flower. “Thank you, dear.”   
  
You smiled proudly, nearing the end of your crown. Once you'd finish the circlet, you picked a few extra strays of a different breed to add a pop of variety into it. Echo wasn't even halfway done with his when you reached up to set the collection of nature atop his cracked skull. It was a bit too small to be the band that is a flower crown, but it was pretty close all the same.

He stopped, quietly taking your hand to guide into closer to him. He measured the length, quickly picking a few flowers to add an inch or two to the bundled blooms. Once satisfied, he began to twine it tightly around your wrist. It was excellently wound, much better than yours, and you knew it would hold for a while. When he pulled away, his smile was a bit crooked - or rather, more genuine, you thought.

“Echo,” he murmured as his hands rose to make small signs. It wasn’t the typical ASL you’d come to recognize, but the symbols burned into your memory in a way you simply couldn’t forget. “This is how you say my name.”   
  
_ ‘It’s… pretty.’  _   
  
You brought your hands up to mimic the motion with a bit of trouble. He signed it to you a few extra times until you got it correctly. You signed it one last time, to which he responded in kind.   
  
“You sign very well. I hope one day you will be teaching me your name. I look forward to when that time finally comes. Mark my words, I will do all I can to save you from this state,” his tone was serious as his eyes locked onto that spot at your chest. You didn’t feel that slithering feeling, but you supposed he was checking your stats again. “I have one last gift for you.”   
  
He pulled his pen and paper out of his pocket again, flipping it open and scribbling. He seemed almost in a haste to get the words down for you and when he ripped and tore it off to you, you didn't hesitate to take it. It seemed important.   
  
“Should any harm ever come to you here or otherwise, run to the west district. Search for a shop with a red roof and a spider monster named Muffet. Give her that note. She will help you.”

You paused and inspected the note - the strange array of symbols you’d come to know as English were unreadable to you. With nothing further to do, you folded the note and tucked it away safely into your pocket. When you glanced up, Echo was whispering to himself, clutching the side of his head. You gave a small tug on his sleeve, brows knit together in a fit of sudden concern.   
  
“Ah,” he paused, regarding you tenderly. “It’s nothing, my dear.”   
  
_ ‘Dear?’ _   
  
“Just a headache. Come, I think it is time to go get those papers sorted.”

You gave a small nod, moving to lead this time as you took him inside and down the long hallway of the facility. Echo seemed withdrawn suddenly, a little guarded. You weren’t sure why but the hint of a smile he’d been previously wearing had all but melted away into something a little less welcoming. Not a scowl or a growl, but as if he were deep in thought.    
  
You chalked it up to him being tired and picked up your pace, taking him directly to the requests’ office. The lady behind the bar almost jumped at the sight of you, but upon seeing a skeleton the pieces must have clicked into place. Echo made quick work of explaining what he and you were there for and the woman was very polite in getting him the forms.   
  
“I’ll be sure to push them through if I can, anything to help out a patient,” she’d assured Echo when questioned about how long the process would take. 

You enthusiastically gave your consent when she offered up the documents they had on-site, promising to fish them out tonight before going off shift and to have them ready for whenever Echo wanted to pick them up. He gave quite a few thank you’s for her assistance and patience on the matter.

It was once you’d almost returned to your room, just outside the door, Echo turned sharply to you and set a hand on your shoulder. You paused, mind screeching to a halt and eyes trailing to look at his hand and then up to his eyelights. His face was serious, making a shiver work its way up to your spine. Your hands came up to sign his name, head pulling to the side in a mix of confusion and concern.

“Be wary of Sans. His interests are not entirely in helping you and I fear what may come of this all. Keep your guard up.”   
  
And like that, the faint smile returned to his face and his posture relaxed, hand outstretched to open the door. As you entered, you caught the tail-end of the hushed argument between Sans and Shepherd in a heated throw of words you didn’t quite understand.    
  
“He’s Too Brash, He’ll End Up Scaring Them And We’ll Be Right Back At Square One!” Shepherd snapped, rubbing his temples.   
  
“and you’d rather they feel isolated in a cycle of endless appointments everytime we show up? they need to meet the others eventually before actually coming to the house with us. you know, unless you think cass is a better option, or maybe we should introduce them to dusk?”   
  
“Jack Is An Ass With Nothing Better To Him Than Yelling And Making A Mockery Of Anything Serious!”   
  
As if on cue, Echo cleared his throat, making them both turn sharply to you. Their eyelights roamed between the two of you, making Sans sigh with relief at the sight of you. Shepherd, on the other hand, was still as prickly as ever from the fight they had together. He stormed past the skeleton, stopping only to smile at you.

“They’re Stronger Than They Appear To Be,” he grumbled before bolting out.   
  
Echo took that as his turn to depart as well, giving the top of your head an affection pat and a promise of coming by again very soon. Before you could stop him either, he was already out the door and down the hall trying to catch up to Shepherd. You turned to face Sans, but he was stalking out as well and on impulse you reached out to grab the sleeve of his hoodie.   
  
_ ‘Wait,’ _ your mind screamed.   
  


Sans froze, blinking owlishly at you before the tension and frustration melted away from him. You let go once you were sure he wouldn’t leave without saying goodbye.

“hey, hey, hey,” he cooed with a small laugh. “don’t look at me like that, i’ll see you again soon. i’ll bring a board game or something and we’ll all just relax instead of it being all business.”   
  
You liked that idea. Despite Echo’s warning you couldn’t stop the challenging grin you shot at him.

  
“see you soon, kiddo.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A HUGE thank you to my friends who helped me edit and sort out this chapter! BananaFrappe, Watermel0nBob, Miss Wolfinger, Minagi, AbsurdMageWrites, NascentChaos, and LollipopSkele!! You're all gems and I cherish you guys ;w; <3 Tons of people chipped in to help me detangle the clusterfuck that was this chapter and I hope you all enjoy it as much as I do~

**Author's Note:**

> Tons of questions, not enough answers~
> 
> Xeno is back fams! Some of you might remember I posted this fic a long, long time ago. Even before crafttale was a thing. I've decided to bring it back, with a vengeance this time. I've completely reworked the story and addressed many of the issues from the first story such as the pacing, dialogue, and length. With a better understanding of what I want and where this story is going, I'm proud to present to you the rewrite, and this time I wont completely wipe it from the internet in a panic. QwQ <3
> 
> A HUGE shoutout to Minagi, BananaFrappe, and AbsurdMageWrites to helping me out with this chapter. They've been a godsend in the struggle to find why this chapter was giving me so much hell. 
> 
> Of course, as always, a huge shoutout to my Beta, LollipopSkele! Youre the best Moonglow <3 Go check out their stuff!


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